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Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I love seeing online bakery galleries with consistently gorgeous, creative, and impeccably detailed cakes. Too often I'll find a great cake, only to visit the original site and discover it's the one stand-out in a gallery of otherwise lackluster specimens.

That said, I was thrilled when a reader tipped me off to Courtney Clark's work over at Cake Nouveau; every entry is so amazing, I couldn't pick just one favorite! So here are six samples, but I highly recommend you visit her site to see the rest of her work: it is well worth your time.

That scroll work is perfection, and I love the tiny roses peeking out.

As a self-proclaimed Disney Geek, I'm loving Courtney's interpretation of Snow White here. (There's also a Toy Story version on her site.)

Doing what I do, I've seen a lot of amazing purse cakes. I mean, a LOT. But this has got to be my all-time favorite:

Gorgeous.

I'm not really sure why this is called "rattlesnake", but for you non-bakers out there: look at the way the sides of this cake are shaped. See those cartoony curves? And how the bows look like actual fabric? That, my friends, is called talent. Sweet, sugar-coated talent.

Now, I know this next one is fairly simple, but I had to include it - I just HAD to:It's orange and pink and perfect all over. Jen likes.

And lastly, an Alice in Wonderland theme:That teapot is awesome. And a very merry un-birthday to you all!

I was just talking to my boyfriend about this really amazing cake place in the Kerrytown district here in Ann Arbor while I was looking at the Cake Nouveau website, but I couldn't remember the name of the place. Then I came across the "Kerrytown" cake on the site, and I realized that this was the place!

I'm so happy to see Cake Nouveau featured on Sunday Sweets. They definitely deserve to be featured!

Gorgeous cakes. How can one bear eating them?I have always loved orange and pink together--it's so unexpected!My 32-yr.-old daughter would like the Alice cake; she's a huge fan of Lewis Carrol's Alice--it's a subtle theme in her life.

It took me a few minutes staring at the Rattlesnake cake, but I think I get it....see how the tiers resemble the rattle end of a rattlesnake's tail? Even down to the curve on each tier. She's made a beautiful interpretation of it. That cake is brilliant. And those bows! Amazing.

That purse-cake is amazing. It's fantastic to look at and I'm in love with the detailing - she manages to make fondant look like fabric, leather, and metal all at the same time! - but it's still soft enough to look edible. Even appetizing. Hm, I need to stop reading this blog before breakfast...

Meh. They're pretty, but in my opinion a little fondant goes a long way. When I find myself trying to figure out where the actual cake layers are under the fondant, that's too far.

OTOH, considered as props, these are works of art.

Word verification: guete. That unfortunate foreign guy who accepts an invitation to a party and then discovers that nobody thought to warn him about the weird customs. Okay, I caught the garter. Now what am I supposed to do with it?

I have a theory on the rattlesnake one: the shapes of the layers are very suggestive of the shape of the rattle. This would not be obvious unless you have seen one up close. I do wonder what that backstory is on that one, who requests a rattlesnake cake? What romantic encounter did they have over a rattlesnake? Alex

I have had my last three birthday cakes made for me by Courtney at Cake Nouveau (the Elvis and Buffy cakes are the last two). Not only are her cakes gorgeous, but the fondant ACTUALLY TASTES GOOD! People actually eat it! This is part of the reason I keep going back!

I must be the only person to not like the look of fondant. I appreciate the work and the artistry and the attention to detail - but fondant always either looks like plastic or rubber and, thus, not appetizing.

That purse is freakin' amazing. Well, okay, they are ALL amazing (especially when you're used to seeing so many BAD cakes), but the purse just made my jaw drop because I would have never known it was a cake at all!

Those are gorgeous! I went to her site, and those cakes are just amazing!!! I wish I could go get some of her cupcakes...the Hot Chocolate ones sound delightful!!! My favorite is the Snow White cake. :)

I love these kind of cakes! However I have to agree with the people who post about fondant tasting like garbage. It generally does but this lady wouldn't be in business if she wasn't good and if it didn't taste good! Whatever you might think a bride will not buy a cake that tastes bad. Not on purpose anyway.

THE MISTRESS OF CAKES HEREBY DECREES THAT THESE CAKES HAVE HERE STAMP OF APPROVAL!!!!

Thank you announcer guy. As I was saying. Beautiful. I am glad you use at least one day a week to promote true cake beauty!

I love the Down the Rabbit Hole cake. I hope Tim Burton takes notice. Wouldn't it be great to see some amazing cake in his Alice in Wonderland movie in the tea party scene? Isn't it great? No CGI needed to make beautiful cakes.

I just came to this site for the first time. I love the wrecks - kind of like those photo albums of celebrities with zero taste in fashion that make us all grateful for our own fashion sense - and I love these Cake Nouveau pictures, as well. They are evidence of perfection and talent in the world of cakes! I hope that someday I'll be able to make something even resembling something similar, but for now I'll be happy that my cakes are on a slightly smarter level than "wreckage!"

Well, this post is possibly one of the nicest and truest articles I've read about cake EVER! These cakes by Courtney ARE amazing! And yes, I am just a little bit biased because I am married to her, but I genuinely like every single cake and cupcake she makes! Anyone who thinks otherwise... well... I pity their palate's lack of judgement! Seriously... if you are ever in Ann Arbor, you must try her cakes. They're AWESOME!

As the proud father-in-law, I have eaten a number of cupcakes from Cake Nouveau -- very tasty. And I drool over the tasty-looking artwork. Since I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I have to eat the cakes with my eyes.I'm VERY PROUD of Courtney (and Kendon).

I was going to write to you and recommend looking at this place. It is in my hometown and I visit all the time. Their store front specializes in cupcakes (with wonderfully delicious flavors) but the cakes are what really stand out. All of the fondant is hand rolled. Not to mention that the owner and workers are the most friendly of folks!

Oh my God! These cakes are amazing! I checked out the website, and they just keep getting better and better. As a self-proclaimed Disney dork, I love all of the Disney inspired cakes ... amazing. I am thoroughly jealous of the talent!

I love Cake Nouveau and all of Courtney's work! She's so talented AND it actually tastes good too! I've had many a wedding cake that look just beautiful but taste like cardboard! But, my brother & sister-in-law got their cake from Cake Nouveau and it was just gorgeous, matched their fall theme beautifully AND it tasted devine! They had a cinnamon spice cake (I think) with a caramel apple filling to again go with the fall theme. It was then served with hot apple cider. YUM!

She's so talented though and I love looking at all the designs on her website!

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What's a Wreck?

What's a Wreck?

A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.

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